Conductive module

Abstract

A conductive module comprises: a bus bar (10) physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals (BCb) of a pair of battery cells (BC) in a battery module (BM) in which a plurality of battery cells (BC) are arranged; a circuit conductor component (20) having a circuit conductor for each bus bar (10) and being flat in shape, the circuit conductor electrically connecting the bus bar (10) to a battery monitoring unit; a bus bar holding member (30) holding a plurality of bus bars (10); and a circuit holding member (40) holding the circuit conductor component (20) and capable of being mounted on the bus bar holding member (30) in a state of covering the bus bar (10) at a connection-completed position physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal (BCb).

Description

Background of the invention 1. Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a conductive module. 2. Description of the state of the art

[0002] A conductive module is a wiring module that electrically connects a battery module in which multiple battery cells are arranged and a battery monitoring unit that monitors the battery states of the battery cells. The conductive module includes a bus bar that is physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals of one or two pairs of battery cells of the battery module, and an electrical cable for each bus bar. The electrical cable electrically connects the bus bar to the battery monitoring unit. The conductive module also includes a bus bar holding member that holds each bus bar and an electrical cable holding member that holds each electrical wire. The conductive module is assembled with the battery module to form a battery pack together with the battery module. This type of conductive module is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-200753.

[0003] In the conventional conductive module, the bus bar held by the bus bar holding member is arranged on the electrode terminal, and the bus bar is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal from above the bus bar. Therefore, in the conductive module, the electric wire holding member is arranged adjacent to the bus bar holding member, leaving an empty space above the bus bar. However, in the battery module, an exhaust duct or a retaining member may be arranged near the location where the electric wire holding member is arranged, and in order to reduce the height of the battery module, measures such as enlarging the exhaust duct or the retaining member toward the electrode terminal to make the exhaust duct or the retaining member thinner may be taken.As the area where the electric wire retaining member can be arranged becomes narrower, securing the mounting position of the electric wire retaining member becomes problematic. The exhaust duct is a member that communicates with an exhaust valve of each battery cell to discharge the gas in the battery cell discharged from the exhaust valve to the atmosphere. The retaining member is a member for maintaining the respective battery cells in their respective arrangement states. Overview of the invention

[0004] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a conductive module that meets the assembly requirements of a battery module and at the same time enables a reduction in the height of a battery pack.

[0005] A conductive module according to one aspect of the invention comprises: a bus bar physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals of two battery cells provided as a pair in a battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged; a circuit conductor component having a circuit conductor for each bus bar and being flat, the circuit conductor connecting the bus bar to a battery monitoring unit; a bus bar holding member holding a plurality of the bus bars; and a circuit holding member holding the circuit conductor component and mountable to the bus bar holding member in a state of covering the bus bar at a connection completion position in which a physical and electrical connection with the electrode terminal is established.

[0006] The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Short description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conductive module according to an embodiment; Fig. 2 is an explanatory view for explaining a method of assembling the conductive module according to the embodiment; Fig. 3 is an explanatory view for explaining the conductive module according to the embodiment, and illustrates an installation form of a circuit conductor component and a circuit holding member on the upper side; Fig. 4 is an explanatory view for explaining the conductive module according to the embodiment, and illustrates an installation form of the circuit conductor component and the circuit holding member on the side surface; Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a battery module; Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a conductive module according to a modification; Fig. 7 is an explanatory view for explaining a method of assembling the conductive module according to the modification; Fig. 8 is an explanatory view for explaining the conductive module according to the modification, and illustrates an installation form of a circuit conductor component and a circuit holding member on the upper side; and Fig. 9 is an explanatory view for explaining the conductive module according to the modification, and illustrates an installation form of a circuit conductor component and a circuit holding member on the side surface. Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

[0007] Embodiments of a conductive module according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Embodiment

[0008] One of the embodiments of a conductive module according to the present invention is described with reference to Fig. 1 to 5.

[0009] Reference number 1 in Fig. 1 to 4 denotes a conductive module according to the present embodiment. A conductive module 1 is connected to a battery module BM ( Fig. 2 to 5) in which a plurality of battery cells BC are arranged (e.g., arranged in a single row), and the battery module BM is electrically connected to a battery monitoring unit (not shown) so that the battery monitoring unit monitors a battery state of the battery cell BC. The conductive module 1, together with the battery module BM, forms a battery pack. The battery pack is mounted, for example, in a vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle, HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle, etc.) having a rotating machine as a drive source, and serves to supply power to the rotating machine.

[0010] The battery cell BC has a cell body BCa and positive and negative electrode terminals BCb ( Fig. 2 to 5). In the battery cell BC shown here, the cell body BCa is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with six outer wall surfaces. In the plurality of battery cells BC constituting the battery module BM, the cell bodies BCa, which are adjacent to one another in the arrangement direction, are arranged with an outer wall surface facing one another. The battery module BM has one electrode terminal group BCc in which one electrode terminal BCb of each battery cell BC is arranged along the arrangement direction, and the other electrode terminal group BCc in which the other electrode terminal BCb of each battery cell BC is arranged along the arrangement direction ( Fig. 2 to 5).

[0011] In this example, each battery cell BC has a positive and negative electrode terminal BCb on one of the six outer wall surfaces of the cell body BCa ( Fig. 2 to 5). Therefore, in the battery module BM, two electrode terminal groups BCc are arranged on one plane (hereinafter referred to as the “electrode installation surface”) BM1 ( Fig. 2 to 5).

[0012] The electrode terminal BCb shown here is formed in a flat plate shape and physically and electrically connects to a bus bar 10 described later by welding or the like. However, the electrode terminal BCb may be formed in the shape of a pole with an externally threaded portion. In this case, the bus bar 10 is screwed and fixed to the electrode terminal BCb by screwing an internally threaded member to the externally threaded portion of the electrode terminal BCb.

[0013] As battery cell BC, a pouch battery cell or a cylindrical battery cell can be used instead of the box-shaped battery cell.

[0014] The conductive module 1 has a bus bar 10 which is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminals BCb of a pair of battery cells BC in the battery module BM ( Fig. 1) appears.

[0015] The busbar 10 is a plate-like conductive component made of metal and is compression-formed, for example, using a metal plate as the base material. The busbar 10 shown here is in the shape of a rectangular flat plate.

[0016] In addition, the conductive module 1 has a circuit conductor component 20 having a circuit conductor that electrically connects the bus bar 10 to the battery monitoring unit, and the circuit conductor component 20 is flat ( Fig. 1). In addition, the conductive module 1 has an electrical connection component (not shown, for example, a conductive component such as a connector or an electrical wire) for each bus bar 10, which is physically and electrically connected to the bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor forming a pair, and which electrically connects the bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor.

[0017] As the circuit conductor component 20, for example, a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) on which a conductor pattern is formed as a circuit conductor for each bus bar 10, a printed circuit board (PCB) on which a conductor pattern is formed as a circuit conductor for each bus bar 10, or the like is used. A circuit (for example, a circuit that converts a voltage of a peripheral battery module (SBM) connected to each battery cell BC into signal information) having a voltage processing function may be mounted on the circuit board. Here, a flexible printed circuit board is used as the circuit conductor component 20.

[0018] The conductive module 1 has a busbar holding element 30 which holds several busbars 10 ( Fig. 1 to 4). The busbar holding member 30 is formed of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin.

[0019] The busbar holding member 30 is flatly formed in a shape in which a welding portion with the electrode terminal BCb is accessible on one plane of the busbar 10 and a laser irradiation portion is accessible at the time of performing a welding operation with respect to the electrode terminal BCb on the other plane of the busbar 10. The busbar holding member 30 shown here is manufactured, for example, by pouring a liquid synthetic resin material into a mold in which the busbars 10 are arranged.

[0020] The conductive module 1 has a circuit holding member 40 that holds the circuit conductor component 20, and can be mounted on the bus bar holding member 30 in a state of physically and electrically connecting the bus bar 10 at the connection completion position to the electrode terminal BCb ( Fig. 1 to 4). The circuit holding member 40 is made of an insulating material, such as a synthetic resin.

[0021] In the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment, a hinge portion 50 that connects the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40 to each other and includes a rotation axis along the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells BC is provided between the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40 ( Fig. 1 to 4). Here, the busbar holding element 30 and the circuit holding element 40 are formed as a single housing component via a film hinge as a hinge section 50.

[0022] In a state where the bus bar 10 held by the bus bar holding member 30 is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal BCb, the hinge portion 50 is disposed at a boundary portion between the electrode installation surface BM1 in the battery module BM and an intersecting wall surface BM2 intersecting and continuously connected to the electrode installation surface BM1 ( Fig. 2 to 4). In the battery module BM, the electrode installation surface BM1 serves as the upper wall surface and the intersecting wall surface BM2 serves as the side wall surface when the battery module BM is mounted in a vehicle.

[0023] In the conductive module 1, the circuit holding element 40 can be mounted at a first mounting position ( Fig. 3) at which the circuit holding member 40 is rotated about the rotation axis of the hinge portion 50 with respect to the busbar holding member 30 and mounted on the busbar holding member 30 in a state in which the busbar 10 is covered in the connection completion position, or in a second mounting position ( Fig. 4), in which the circuit holding member 40 is rotated about the rotation axis of the hinge portion 50 with respect to the busbar holding member 30 and arranged to face the intersecting wall surface BM2. In the conductive module 1, the busbar 10 and the circuit conductor are electrically connected to each busbar 10 by the foregoing electrical connection component.

[0024] In the conductive module 1, the bus bar 10 held by the bus bar holding member 30 is positioned on the electrode terminal BCb for each bus bar 10, and each bus bar 10 is connected to the electrode terminal BCb by laser welding or the like ( Fig. 2).

[0025] In the conductive module 1, the circuit holding member 40 holding the circuit conductor component 20 is rotated about the rotation axis of the hinge portion 50 to the first mounting position, and the circuit holding member 40 is mounted on the bus bar holding member 30 ( Fig. 3). In this case, for example, a locking mechanism (not shown) having a claw portion or the like is provided between the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40, and the circuit holding member 40 is held in the first mounting position by the locking mechanism through the bus bar holding member 30.

[0026] The circuit holding member 40 at the first mounting position also serves as a cover part for insulation protection, which covers the bus bar 10 in a space above the bus bar holding member 30. Therefore, in this case, in the conductive module 1, it is not necessary to separately prepare such a cover part, and the number of components can be reduced.

[0027] On the other hand, in the conductive module 1, when the space above the bus bar holding member 30 cannot be used for the installation of the circuit holding member 40, the circuit holding member 40 holding the circuit conductor component 20 is rotated about the rotation axis of the hinge portion 50 to the second mounting position, and the circuit holding member 40 is mounted so as to face the intersecting wall surface BM2 of the battery module BM ( Fig. 4). Here, for example, a locking mechanism (not shown) having a claw part or the like is provided between the circuit holding member 40 and the intersecting wall surface BM2, and the circuit holding member 40 is held by the locking mechanism on the intersecting wall surface BM2 in the second mounting position.

[0028] In this case, a cover member 60 for insulation protection, which covers the busbar 10 in a space above the busbar support member 30, is prepared separately, and the cover member 60 is mounted on the busbar support member 30 ( Fig. 4).

[0029] As described above, when the circuit holding member 40 cannot be mounted next to the bus bar holding member 30 on the electrode installation surface BM1 due to the height reduction requirements of the battery pack, the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment can meet the mounting requirements for the battery module BM while reducing the height of the battery pack by stacking the circuit holding member 40 at the first mounting position on the bus bar holding member 30. As described above, in the conductive module 1, the number of components can be reduced because the circuit holding member 40 can be used as a cover member for insulation protection that covers the bus bar 10 in the space above the bus bar holding member 30.

[0030] In addition, even if the space above the bus bar holding member 30 cannot be used for mounting the circuit holding member 40, the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment can be mounted on the side wall surface (intersecting wall surface BM2) of the battery module BM by merely rotating the circuit holding member 40 to the second mounting position around the rotation axis of the hinge portion 50. modification

[0031] In a conductive module 2 of the present modification, the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40 are used as individual components without providing the hinge portion 50 in the conductive module 1 of the above-described embodiment ( Fig. 6 to 9). Therefore, in the conductive module 2 of the present modification, portions and the like similar to those of the conductive module 1 of the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0032] The bus bar holding member 30 of the present modification has a first engagement portion (not shown). The battery module BM of the present modification has a first engagement portion (not shown) having the same shape as the first engagement portion of the bus bar holding member 30 on the intersecting wall surface BM2.

[0033] The circuit holding member 40 of the present modified example has a second engagement portion (not shown) capable of maintaining an assembly completion state with the bus bar holding member 30 by engaging with the first engagement portion of the bus bar holding member 30 when the circuit holding member 40 is mounted to the bus bar holding member 30 in a state where the bus bar 10 is covered at the connection completion position, and further capable of maintaining an assembly completion state with the battery module BM by engaging with the first engagement portion of the intersecting wall surface BM2 when the circuit holding member 40 is mounted to the battery module BM in a state where it faces the intersecting wall surface BM2.The first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are, for example, a locking mechanism in which the engaging portion or the second engaging portion has a claw portion, and the claw portion is hooked to the other portion of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion to engage the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion with each other.

[0034] In the conductive module 2 of the present modification, the bus bar 10 held by the bus bar holding member 30 is arranged on the electrode terminal BCb for each bus bar 10, and each bus bar 10 is connected to the electrode terminal BCb by laser welding or the like ( Fig. 7).

[0035] In the conductive module 2, the circuit holding member 40 holding the circuit conductor component 20 is mounted on the bus bar holding member 30, and the assembly completion state is maintained by the previous locking mechanism (the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion) ( Fig. 8).

[0036] For example, when the electrical connection component (here, a terminal) of the embodiment is used in the conductive module 2, the bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor are electrically connected by the electrical connection component during the process of assembling the circuit holding member 40 that holds the circuit conductor component 20 on the bus bar holding member 30. For example, here, the electrical connection component mounted on the circuit conductor is attached to the bus bar 10 simultaneously with the assembly of the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40. In this case, the bus bar 10 is provided with a terminal portion that can be attached to and connected to the electrical connection component.

[0037] When such an electrical connection component is not used, the circuit conductor is further provided with a conductor connection portion arranged to face the bus bar 10 in a state where the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40 are assembled and physically and electrically connected to the facing bus bar 10 (not shown). In this case, for example, the circuit holding member 40 has a shape in which both planes of the circuit conductor component 20 are accessible. In the conductive module 2, the conductor connection portion of the circuit conductor is connected to the bus bar 10 by laser welding or the like.

[0038] The circuit holding member 40 also serves as an insulation protection cover member that covers the bus bar 10 in a space above the bus bar holding member 30. Therefore, in this case, in the conductive module 2, it is not necessary to separately manufacture such a cover member, and the number of components can be reduced. However, when the bus bar 10 and the conductor connection portion of the circuit conductor are joined by laser welding or the like, one plane of the circuit conductor component 20 is exposed, so it is necessary to separately prepare an insulation protection cover member that covers the one plane.

[0039] On the other hand, when the space above the bus bar holding member 30 cannot be used for mounting the circuit holding member 40, in the conductive module 2, the circuit holding member 40 holding the circuit conductor component 20 is mounted so as to face the intersecting wall surface BM2 of the battery module BM, and the mounting completion state is maintained by the previous locking mechanism (the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion) ( Fig. 9).

[0040] In this case, similar to the installation form of the circuit holding member 40 in the embodiment, a cover member 60 for insulation protection, which covers the bus bar 10 in a space above the bus bar holding member 30, is separately prepared, and the cover member 60 is mounted on the bus bar holding member 30 ( Fig. 9).

[0041] As described above, for the conductive module 2 of the present modification, when the circuit holding member 40 cannot be mounted adjacent to the bus bar holding member 30 on the electrode installation surface BM1 due to the height reduction requirements of the battery pack, the mounting requirements for the battery module BM can be met while reducing the height of the battery pack by stacking the circuit holding member 40 on the bus bar holding member 30. As described above, in the conductive module 2, when the bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor are electrically connected by the electrical connection component, the circuit holding member 40 can be used as a cover member for insulation protection, covering the bus bar 10 in the space above the bus bar holding member 30, so that the number of components can be reduced.

[0042] Furthermore, in the conductive module 2 of the present modification, even if the space above the bus bar holding member 30 cannot be used for mounting the circuit holding member 40, the first engagement portion that can be engaged in pairs with the second engagement portion of the circuit holding member 40 is provided on both the bus bar holding member 30 and the side wall surface (intersecting wall surface BM2) of the battery module BM, so that the circuit holding member 40 can be mounted on the side wall surface (intersecting wall surface BM2) of the battery module BM without increasing the number of components.

[0043] Even if a circuit holding member cannot be mounted next to a bus bar holding member on an electrode installation surface due to height reduction requirements of a battery pack, for the conductive module according to the embodiment, the mounting requirements for the battery module can be met while reducing the height of the battery pack by stacking the circuit holding member on the bus bar holding member. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2018-200753

[0002]

Claims

[1] A conductive module (1, 2), with: a bus bar (10) physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals (BCb) of a pair of battery cells (BC) in a battery module (BM) in which a plurality of battery cells (BC) are arranged; a circuit conductor component (20) having a circuit conductor for each bus bar (10) and being flat, the circuit conductor electrically connecting the bus bar (10) to a battery monitoring unit; a busbar holding element (30) which holds a plurality of busbars (10); and a circuit holding member (40) holding the circuit conductor component (20) and mountable on the bus bar holding member (30) in a state of covering the bus bar (10) at a connection-completed position that is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal (BCb). [2] The conductive module (1) according to claim 1, wherein a hinge portion (50) connecting the busbar holding member (30) and the circuit holding member (40) to each other and having a rotation axis along an arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells (BC) is provided between the busbar holding member (30) and the circuit holding member (40), the hinge portion (50) is arranged at a boundary portion between an electrode installation surface (BM1) of the battery module (BM) on which the electrode terminal (BCb) is provided and an intersecting wall surface (BM2) that intersects the electrode installation surface (BM1) and is continuous therewith in a state in which the busbar (10) held by the busbar holding member (30) is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal (BCb), and the circuit holding member (40) is arranged at a first mounting position in which the circuit holding member (40) is rotated about the rotation axis of the hinge portion (50) with respect to the bus bar holding member (30) and mounted on the bus bar holding member (30) in a state in which the bus bar (10) is covered in the connection-completed position, or at a second mounting position in which the circuit holding member (40) is rotated about the rotation axis of the hinge portion (50) with respect to the bus bar holding member (30) and arranged to face the intersecting wall surface (BM2). [3] The conductive module (2) according to claim 1, wherein the bus bar holding member (30) has a first engagement portion, the battery module (BM) has a first engagement portion having the same shape as the first engagement portion of the bus bar holding member (30) on an intersecting wall surface (BM2) intersecting and continuous with an electrode installation surface (BM1) on which the electrode terminal (BCb) is provided, and the circuit holding member (40) has a second engagement portion configured to maintain a completed assembly state of the bus bar holding member (30) by engaging with the first engagement portion of the bus bar holding member (30) when the circuit holding member (40) is attached to the bus bar holding member (30) in a state in which the bus bar (10) is covered in the connection-completed position, and configured to maintain a completed assembly state on the battery module (BM) by engaging with the first engagement portion of the intersecting wall surface (BM2) when the circuit holding member (40) is mounted on the battery module (BM) in a state in which it faces the intersecting wall surface (BM2). [4] The conductive module (2) according to claim 1, wherein the circuit conductor is provided with a conductor connecting portion arranged to face the bus bar (10) in a state in which the bus bar holding member (30) and the circuit holding member (40) are mounted, and are physically and electrically connected to the facing bus bar (10). [5] The conductive module (1, 2) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising: an electrical connection component for each bus bar (10) that is physically and electrically connected to the bus bar (10) and the circuit conductor that form a pair and electrically connects the bus bar (10) and the circuit conductor.

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